Here are the team defense rankings for 2009. There are three basic categories for defenses, 1) those that are worth drafting, 2) defenses that are good if you need/want two so you can switch from week to week, and 3) defensive units that are only useful for spot-starts here and there throughout the season. Please note that these rankings are based primarily on just the defense aspect of a team and not as much for special teams. If your league rewards you for kick returns, your rankings may differ slightly (here’s a list of the top kick returners in the league.)

Draftable

1. Pittsburgh Steelers – They were dominant last year and it appears they’ll be just as good this season.

2. Minnesota Vikings – Solid defense that stops the run and will score some touchdowns off turnovers.

3. New York Giants – Osi Umenyiora returning from injury should improve the pass rush even more, forcing turnovers.

4. Baltimore Ravens – They lost their coordinator in the off-season, but they’re still loaded with big names such as Lewis, Suggs and Reed.

5. New York Jets – They got coach Rex Ryan from Baltimore, along with Bart Scott, plus Lito Sheppard adds some veteran experience.

6. Dallas Cowboys – They led the league in sacks last year and played much better towards the end. Let’s see if it continues into this season.

7. Philadelphia Eagles

8. Tennessee Titans – The Titans defense has been dominant in the past, but they’ve lost Albert Haynesworth to Washington and their coordinator to the Lions. They still have a lot to work with though.

9. Chicago Bears – They’re not quite as dominant as they’ve been in the past, but they still force a lot of turnovers.

10. New England Patriots – They go into the season looking very healthy at this point, while young players Jerod Mayo and Brandon Meriweather have another year of playing under their belt. The high-powered offense will force opposing teams to abandon the run early and should get a lot of turnovers.

I don’t agree with the Chargers being so low in your rankings. They were at a loss of their leading defensive player last year and with the newly picked up Larry English, I see the Chargers being right back up there in the top.